Tyzula Revived
by Erich Zann III
Summary: Ty Lee comes home one night to find Azula sitting in her living room. Not sure what to expect, Ty Lee sits down and has a long conversation with Azula that ends with them getting back together. Azula may be out of the psychiatric hospital, but it would be hard to say she's healthy with a straight face. ZukoxJin, Ty LeexAzula. Sex scenes. Mention of torture.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Ty Lee couldn't say for sure when she started having sex with Azula. She only knew that her first time was clumsy, but excruciatingly painful… At twelve, maybe it was a bit too soon. She had heard from some of her older friends that sex was one of the most ecstatic experiences one could have… The warmth and the intimacy would swallow you whole if you weren't careful.

This most certainly wasn't so for Ty Lee. Azula called Ty Lee into her bed chamber and asked her to take her clothes off. Ty Lee, who had had a crush on Azula for quite a while already, agreed immediately. But then, Azula took out a leather cat o' nine tails and lashed Ty Lee, who cried out in pain as Azula used that moment to tackle the poor girl to the floor, and whipped her a few times before tying her up with ropes and leather, and smirking down at her with a madly sadistic look.

At first, Ty Lee was hurt. She felt terribly betrayed by Azula, who was supposed to be her best friend. Azula had asked her to make love to her, and Ty Lee had been excited. She was sure that Azula knew how excited Ty Lee would be. Then, she began torturing her.

Azula thrust against Ty Lee a few times before grabbing her tightly bound arm and using her firebending to leave a huge, hand shaped scorch mark on her forearm. The first time didn't last long. But for all the pain that Ty Lee felt, it seemed like it took so much longer. She didn't even 'cum' as her friends described it the first time. Azula kissed Ty Lee once, and then bit her on the ear before leaving her sobbing.

At first, she tried talking to Mai. But after a few times of trying, she stopped. It was pointless to involve Mai in her own problems. She loved Azula, and though it hurt now, maybe it would get better. Maybe Azula would be nicer in the future…

Two years passed, and things didn't change much. Azula became more creative in her tortures, in her sadistic sex acts. She learned to channel lightning, and used it to send electricity coursing through Ty Lee's body. As the electricity moved through her, she felt a terrifying and humiliating mixture of pain and pleasure. Soon, she began sending the electricity directly into her pussy and asshole. She begged Azula to stop, but that only seemed to make Azula more excited, her tortures worse.

These acts caused instant orgasm. But there was no joy in her cumming. Azula found incredible pleasure in harming Ty Lee. Every time Azula hurt Ty Lee, she was sure that she was going to die… But… Sometimes, she begged for death. Maybe death would be better than this existence that she was leading now. Maybe, death could make her happier, though she would hardly call what she was doing 'living'.

Azula always sent in an enslaved Waterbender to heal Ty Lee… Eventually. Sometimes, she let Ty Lee lie there for a while with her burns and electrical injuries for as much as an hour. Azula was very careful never to let Ty Lee out of her room until she was completely healed. Ty Lee loved Azula. But she was terrified of the monster that she truly was at the same time.

Ty Lee knew that her own loyalty to Azula was the only thing really keeping Azula out of an insane asylum, that if Ty Lee ever betrayed Azula, that the mad Fire Princess would snap. So, when she saw her opportunity to be free of the mad and evil, but somehow pathetic young woman, she took it.

Azula was about to attack Mai for saving Zuko. Ty Lee had to choose between friends. She chose Mai. Azula's mental stability began to degrade from there, and from what Ty Lee knew, Azula was still in a mental institution. She felt bad for Azula, and she visited her from time to time. Azula always ended up screaming profanities at her, though, and Ty Lee left in tears.

In the immediate future, she felt guilty about hurting Azula like that. She cared about her. She was still in love with her. But she couldn't let Azula keep hurting her. She had to stand up for herself, and she knew it was only a matter of time before Azula accidentally went too far and hurt her irreversibly or killed her.

After a while, she started going out with Sokka, who had recently broken up with Suki. The sex was incredible. Sokka was so gentle and kind, but Ty Lee couldn't accept such kindness anymore. Such gentle sex was somehow foreign to her.

She asked him to be rougher, but there was only so rough that Sokka was willing to be… And he really drew the line when she asked him to whip her and call her a dirty whore. She would have asked for worse if she wasn't scared that he would refuse. As it turned out, he did. Their relationship ended fairly quickly. After that, she mostly ended up with one night stands, and dedicated herself to spreading knowledge of Chi Blocking.

After a few years, Azula got out of the institution, and she came home. Ty Lee was the first person she went to see. Ty Lee came home one night to see Azula sitting in her living room, sipping some tea, and eating some cookies. She had lost a lot of weight, and her hair was still messy and tangled. Ty Lee sighed and sat down next to Azula, hugging her tightly.

"Azula… I-I'm so happy to see you again. Let me help you with your hair. When was the last time you took a bath?" She asked the former princess. Azula thought for a minute.

"Almost six weeks ago. I've been living alone on the streets for over a month. I… I can't use lightning anymore. I can only use the barest amount of fire to fight off attacks and defend myself.

"I… I need you in my life, Ty Lee… I-I-I'll do anything you want… B-but I need you to take me back!" Azula pleaded, tears flooding her amber eyes. Ty Lee gasped. She had never seen Azula so submissive before. She seemed desperate to start over. Ty Lee couldn't just take Azula back so easily, though. On that note, she couldn't just toss Azula out on the street. Azula was Ty Lee's beloved, her everything.

"I-I just need to know one thing… Ty Lee… I-I need you to answer me honestly…" Azula muttered, as she eased into the bath, sighing in relief as the hot water covered her bruised, filthy and emaciated body. Ty Lee found herself taking her own clothes off and getting into the bath with her, pulling Azula's head back. Azula screamed and swiped at Ty Lee with her jagged and cracked nails.

Azula had fallen very far from the prideful, powerful young woman she had once been.

"How dare you try to assassinate me!? I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you fucking bitch! I'll kill you!" Azula screeched manically. Ty Lee shook her head and kissed Azula.

"I was just trying to get your hair wet. I need to wet it before I can clean it… I might need to cut it.

"Your hair… It's so matted and tangled. I'm not sure what I can do with it right now. Take a deep breath, Azula, and loosen your muscles. I promise… _Nobody_ will hurt you in this house." Ty Lee whispered soothingly. "Do you understand me, Azula? You're totally safe." Ty Lee finished, stroking Azula, finding that the former princess, once so prideful that she couldn't even admit that she had emotions, was leaning into Ty Lee, trying to be closer to her best friend… Her only friend, really.

Ty Lee found tears flooding her own eyes.

"Azula… Why did you come to me? I'm not complaining… It's so good go see you again, but why me? I betrayed you. You said it yourself."

"Y-you… I know you betrayed me… B-but… I was too afraid to go to anyone else. I knew that even if you wouldn't take me in, you at least wouldn't hurt me. But why! Why did you betray me! I demand an answer, _Right now!_ "

"Azula… You may be part of the Royal Family. But you can't make me answer you. I think it's important that you know, though… You hurt me, Azula. Physically, mentally, emotionally…" Ty Lee said sadly.

"You called me horrible names. You demeaned me. You called me a filthy whore and said that nobody would ever love me. You told me that I deserved to be abused. And eventually, I started to believe you. You made it impossible for me to have healthy relationships.

"Do you know how many times I tried to have a normal relationship after I betrayed you? I tried with Sokka. He was such a kind person, and he wanted to have a relationship with me, he loved me. But… Eventually, we got to having sex…

"And… It felt amazing… He was so gentle, so sweet… But… I didn't feel comfortable with that. I had gotten so used to you abusing me during sex that I didn't know how I could experience anything else. I asked him to whip me and call me a dirty bitch.

"He broke up with me. He wasn't into that kind of thing. I've been reduced to being married to my work, and having one-night stands. You… No… I won't say that it's your fault. It's my fault that I didn't stand up for myself sooner. But… I loved you… I still do. I always will… But I couldn't let you keep on hurting me. I need you to understand that."

"I-I understand… I'm so sorry, Ty Lee. Y-you were… The only person whose opinion mattered to me. I craved your acceptance. Mai, I could tell wasn't really my friend. Zuko was too much fun to tease. But you… You always stuck by me. You never denied me anything. And… Well… I love you."

"I love you, too, Azula, hold on a second, close your eyes." Ty Lee said, moving her fingers gently through Azula's hair. Azula had beautiful hair as a young woman. Now, it was a matted, filthy mess. Ty Lee untangled it, going through Azula's hair bit by bit, pulling out dirt, twigs, leaves, and bugs, and looking at every inch of her head.

She hadn't had a good barber in ages. She would need to personally cut the ex-princess's hair. It would be shortish… But she could make Azula presentable again. Finally, she got the worst of the knots out of Azula's hair, after almost an hour. She looked down at her former mistress, and whispered for her to heat the water again. Azula used her firebending to heat the water to be comfortable again. She couldn't use the same powerful bending that she once did. But she could at least heat water.

Ty Lee took some scented soap. Azula sniffed the air. It was the first thing in ages, she felt that didn't smell like refuse. If she wasn't mistaken, it smelled like lavender, honey, and Cowgoat milk. It was a wonderful smell, and as Ty Lee wet her hands, lathered the soap and put it into Azula's hair, Azula sighed with happiness. For a while, Ty Lee scrubbed Azula's hair, and then washed it out.

After that, she took down some conditioner, and put that into her hair, washing it out as well, and then she helped Azula out of the bath, and got a warm towel for her, wrapping her tiny, frail body in it, and taking her filthy rags that she had come in, and debated whether to waste her time washing them, or just dispose of them… They were so torn that they would probably be damaged beyond repair in the wash.

And Ty Lee could make some more clothes for Azula… Or just buy some. She was wealthy enough. She had opened up a chain of Chi Blocking schools in the Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation. She had one in Republic City. Her schools were praised for helping non-benders become just as capable as benders. Mai had enrolled in the school. She wasn't quite as nimble as Ty Lee. But she was getting the hang of it.

Ty Lee had some clothes that fit her. But she didn't know if they would fit Azula. They could try.

"Here, Azula. Put on one of my bathrobes…" She said to Azula, hugging her tightly. She didn't understand why. But as soon as she saw Azula again, she was ready to forgive… She couldn't forget the torture that Azula put her through. But she could forgive her old friend.

"Thank you, Ty Lee. Please, come closer…" Azula said quietly. Ty Lee moved closer to Azula, and was rewarded with a gentle kiss on the lips. Ty Lee gasped. This kiss was so different from what she had come to expect from Azula. She didn't know that Azula knew how to have anything other than rough sex that bordered on rape.

Ty Lee found her body heating up. Her pussy was beginning to leak and she could hardly stand still for wanting to jump on top of Azula and just have crazy sex with her.

"A-Azula…" Ty Lee breathed. "Th-that was amazing… I-I…"

"Don't say anything. I love you, Ty Lee… I want to spend forever with you…" Azula said gently. Ty Lee sighed, tears stinging her eyes. She wasn't ready to promise that yet. She felt bad that she had to refuse Azula on that issue.

"Y-you don't have to say it. I-I'll just… Put my clothes back on and get going… I guess I can go back to the Fire Nation. See if Zuko will let me live at the palace. I feel better than I've felt in ages, though. I'm clean. I'm warm. I'm not afraid of being killed in my sleep for my clothes, or my very few belongings. I'm happier than I've been since I can remember."

"Azula… I'm not kicking you out. I won't have you back on the streets. Republic City may not exactly be a hub of crime. But… There are organized crime groups that will kill you if you invade their territory. That would include begging for money on their turf. I don't think you know the city. In the Fire Nation, the punishment for organized crime was either life imprisonment or the death sentence. Those were both heavy punishments.

"Now, in Republic City, many crime families are essentially above the law. They have the power and the money to buy and bully their way out of trouble. Just stay with me for a while. I won't promise you that you can stay forever. But I've got a guest bedroom that's pretty nicely kept. You'll be safe there. You can sleep soundly knowing that you won't be attacked."

"Th-thank you, Ty Lee." Azula whispered, moving to kiss Ty Lee again. Ty Lee didn't resist, and they kissed deeply, making their way to the bedroom, where Azula slowly slipped off Ty Lee's bathrobe, kissing her nipples slowly, licking the nipple, causing Ty Lee to sigh in pleasure. Azula smirked, and slowly prodded her lover's pussy. Ty Lee had never felt this amazing before.

She had had sex before with people who treated her well. But Azula had always been the one she was in love with. Soon, Ty Lee exploded with pleasure all over Azula's hand and arm. Azula smirked in a truly confident manner. Her confidence right now was so different from before. Before, she just covered up her insecurities with a facade of confidence. But now, she was truly enjoying happiness.

She still wasn't a very confident woman. But in this moment, seeing how happy, how pleasured Ty Lee was beneath her, she was feeling a swell of confidence that was unlike anything she had ever felt. Ty Lee moved down to Azula's pussy, kissing her clit, causing a rush of pleasure for the former Fire Princess. Ty Lee used her Chi Blocking abilities to keep her from orgasming until she was ready for her to.

As the two moved together, Ty Lee's pleasure grew until finally, she could stand it no longer, and she came harder than she ever had before. She positively screamed with orgasm as Azula used her lightning bending just to send a light electric pulse into her pussy, causing a sensation beyond anything she had ever felt before. Finally, Azula collapsed. She hadn't had real exercise in a long time, and she was much weaker now than before.

The two reconciled lovers fell asleep in each other's arms, still kissing each other.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Azula? You took Azula in!? That crazy psychotic lightning spewing monster that tortured you for all those years!?" Sokka demanded. Ty Lee had gone from being a member of the Kyoshi Warriors to owning a large chain of Chi Blocking schools all across the Earth Kingdom, the United Republic of Nations and the Fire Nation.

Of course, most of her friends had free memberships in the school. The Kyoshi Warriors had learned a lot about Chi blocking, and about controlling the opponent through their chi paths, but they still had a lot to learn, and they all came for lessons at Ty Lee's school. Sokka was also a member. Mai was a member. Ty Lee noticed that it was almost exclusively non-benders who showed an interest in learning to block chi. But Aang was also a member, though he often wasn't able to come because of his Avatar duties.

Ty Lee blushed slightly, and nodded. "Well… Yes… I love Azula. She may have done terrible things. But everyone deserves another chance, right? She may have hurt me in the past. But I believe I should let her prove that she can change."

"Don't you think it's kind of dangerous to let the crazy lightning shooting Firebender try to prove that she's not crazy anymore?" Sokka asked. He had begun to take Chi Blocking lessons at Ty Lee's school. Most of his training consisted of flexibility and accuracy training at the moment. Ty Lee was personally working with him. Already, he was much better than he was when he first started.

However, that wasn't saying much. He was working on studying chi points on the human body. Mostly, he practiced on dummies right now with the chi points marked with dots. They weren't labeled, since he would have to memorize them someday. Why not first thing, right? Katara had been a bit skeptical about him learning Chi Blocking… Mostly because it had been such a thorn in her side.

However, she was coming over to Ty Lee's way of thinking. Just because a person couldn't bend, that was no reason for them to be helpless. If they couldn't bend, they should be able to stop the benders from bending and take them out of the equation completely. Ty Lee's method of fighting was brilliantly simple… And dangerous.

"I brought Azula with me… I didn't want to leave her home alone, so she's with me here in the back for now."

"I don't know if you remember that she tortured you for all those years… So I'll reiterate… She tortured you for two years!" Sokka protested. Suddenly, Azula was behind them.

"I see why Ty Lee was smitten with you. You are quite handsome, Sokka…" Azula said with a weak smile. Sokka gasped and turned around, pointing his boomerang at Azula.

"Relax, Sokka… She's hardly strong enough to run for very long. I don't think she could fight you. Put your boomerang down." Ty Lee said, looking expectantly at Sokka.

He sighed and put his boomerang down, storing it away in his belt. He still didn't trust Azula. But he left Azula and Ty Lee alone. Ty Lee turned to Azula and spoke.

"Hey, Azula. Zuko will be coming to visit the dojo later today. He's with a new girl… He and Mai… Broke up a while ago. He was disappointed.

"But he visited Ba Sing Se, and ran into this Earth Kingdom girl, and they started talking, and they got together. He said he went on a date with her once before… Jun… Jin… Jen… Some name like that…" Ty Lee said, scrunching her face trying to remember the girl's name. Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Zuzu and Mai broke up? They seemed so close. Mai betrayed me to protect him."

"Yeah… Well, I don't remember the exact reason… But… They were arguing a lot before they finally broke up. It was the best thing for them, really. Both their auras were looking terrible. Now, Zuko seems really happy. The girl does, too. What time is it, Sokka?"

"Um… About 1:00…" Sokka said. Ty Lee gasped. Zuko was going to be there, soon. It had been a week since Azula and Ty Lee first saw each other again, and Ty Lee had said that Zuko needed to meet someone. She hadn't been terribly specific. She only said that Zuko knew this person and that they were important.

"Hello… Ty Lee?" Zuko asked, walking in with Jin, who seemed to be fascinated by the school.

"This is your friend, Ty Lee's school? You said she teaches Chi Blocking here, right?" She asked.

"Yeah. Hey, Ty Lee!"

Suddenly, Ty Lee cartwheeled out and stood in front of Zuko.

"Hey, Zuko! Azula! Come on over!" Ty Lee shouted. Zuko tensed up, and Jin looked over at him with concern. Zuko adopted a firebending stance.

"Hi, Firelord Zuzu!" Azula said with a deceptive level of confidence, given how nervous she was. What was Zuko going to say, seeing her again after all these years?

"Azula? They told me that you were released from the center… Where did you go? That was months ago." Zuko said. Azula sighed.

"Oh, Zuzu…"

"Stop calling me that!" Zuko snapped. Jin giggled at this. Azula looked over at Jin.

"Oh, you must be Zuko's new girlfriend… You _are_ pretty… I see why Zuko likes you so much. At least you seem friendlier than Mai."

"Zuko… Is this the sister you told me about!? You joker! You told me she was a monster… She's really nice! And so beautiful…"

"Um… Yeah… A joke… She was actually in charge of the invasion of Ba Sing Se. She orchestrated all of it, then suggested that father burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground."

Jin laughed again at Zuko's joke. It wasn't supposed to be a joke.

"What? What did I say?" Zuko asked obliviously. Azula laughed as well.

"I don't know. Everything about that was hilarious at the time. But not anymore."

"O-oh… So, Azula… When did you and Ty Lee meet up again?" Zuko asked, trying to be polite to her.

"Well… About a week ago. She was in my house when I got home that night… And, she told me she had been homeless for a while… So, I said she could stay. I still need to work on her nails. Look at them. She's picked them so they're not as bad, but they need serious work.

"She was nervous about going back to the royal palace… She didn't…"

"What? Why? I would've let her come back! Uncle always taught me to give everyone another chance. Are you feeling better, Azula?" Zuko asked. Azula actually laughed.

"Yes… I'm doing much better. Ty Lee… I noticed the cameras in your apartment. Do you still have the picture of what I looked like when I first came in? I always get a laugh out of them…" Azula said, seeming very different now.

"Yeah. Here you go, Zuko… Enjoy…" Ty Lee said, handing the pictures to Zuko, who looked at the pictures, shocked by how haggard Azula looked. She was emaciated, her hair was tangled and filled with dirt, twigs and other debris. Zuko would have laughed if she hadn't looked so frightening.

"I see… Do you want to come back to the royal palace? You're welcome there, you know? Jin has just gotten pregnant, so don't stress her out too much. But you can come back if you promise not to shoot lightning at her."

"I can't… I'm living with Ty Lee, now… We're lovers… Again…"

"Really?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow. After the way she treated you before?" Zuko whispered to Ty Lee. Ty Lee nodded modestly.

"Yes, well… Give everyone another chance and all that. Besides, she's changed. She's amazing at night…" Ty Lee gasped happily.

Zuko sighed. He hadn't really needed to hear that.

"Azula… I'm happy to see you again… You're looking better than you did when I last saw you." Zuko said quietly. Azula snorted.

"No I don't. I'm still really underweight, I'm weak, I can barely shoot sparks, much less lightning… Something about me makes it hard to create fire now. I can't determine what it is." Azula said. Zuko smiled.

"You're not able to fuel your firebending with rage anymore. It was the same for me. I went to seek out the original source of Firebending. I'm sure that Uncle can help you with it, if you'll let him."

"I-I can't talk to Uncle. He would never help me."

"You really give Uncle way too little credit. I'm sure he would be glad to help you if you showed that you really wanted help. Uncle always said that those most lost to the darkness are the ones most deserving of help… But only if they want it. I'll take you to his tea shop in Ba Sing Se. He's always got people in there, but I'm sure he can make time for his own niece."

"I-I… I can't… I attacked Uncle that time… In that desert town, I could have killed him! He'll never accept me." Azula said, tears filling her eyes. Jin smiled gently and hugged Azula tightly.

"Azula… You shouldn't worry so much. Your hair will start going gray and limp… You don't want that, do you? You have such beautiful hair…" Jin said cheerfully. Azula sighed. The only women in her life who were ever this kind to her were Ty Lee and now, Jin. Ty Lee was her lover. So what ulterior motive did Jin have to care what happened to her?

"Get off of me! What are you aiming for!?" Azula demanded. Jin looked genuinely confused.

"A-aiming for? Only to make you feel better. You're Zuko's sister. You're family to him, so you're family to me."

"Yeah, well…" Azula said, retreating slightly from Jin, suspicious of her intentions.

"I'm sorry… Did I offend you, Azula?" Jin asked sheepishly. Azula shook her head irritably.

"No. Zuzu's girlfriends just have a tendency to betray me… Why should I trust you any more than I trusted Mai?"

"Azula… One time. One girlfriend of mine 'betrayed you'. That's not a 'tendency'." Zuko sighed. Azula snorted.

"Yeah, well… All the women in my life have betrayed me. Mom… Mai… Ty Lee… Why should this bitch be any different?"

"Hey! Apologize to her, now!"

"Yes, oh great Fire Lord Zuzu…" Azula sneered, turning her back and walking back to the back of the dojo.

"Listen, I'm sorry about my sister… She… Just got out of the hospital, and she's well enough to be out, but… I don't think she's back to… No, she was never normal… I don't think she's completely well yet."

"Hospital? Was she sick?" Jin asked, looking at Azula. She did seem slightly off. Certainly she was eccentric. But so was Zuko. That was one of the things she liked about him. His eccentricity was endearing to her.

"Well, she needed some rest and relaxation, really. Dad expected way too much of her, and she finally snapped mentally. I think Uncle could really help her. But she's not willing to see him again. We never got along well, but I'm worried about her."

"Of course you are. She's your sister. So, she and Ty Lee… They're…?"

"Oh, yeah… Long story about that. That isn't my story to tell, though. If they want to tell you, they can."

"Okay… No problem. Ooh, I've always wanted to come to Republic City. Maybe the Avatar is here… You and the Avatar are friends, right?"

"Yes… I trained him in Firebending. Sokka, is Aang in the city at the moment?"

"I think he said something about being in Omashu… King Bumi wanted to see him. Sorry, Jin… I promise I'll introduce you two someday. He's planning on coming to the Fire Nation with Katara after Omashu."

"So, tell me, Ty Lee… This school… It teaches non-benders how to defeat benders. Wouldn't that be dangerous in the hands of criminals? I mean, in Ba Sing Se, the Dai Li were the keepers of the peace, and they were all Earthbenders. That meant that they had to be able to bend to overpower riots and other such disturbances."

"Well… Why don't you look at it from the opposite perspective, Jin… I appreciate that benders who are members of law enforcement need to be able to bend. But what about benders who abuse their powers to harm non-benders. Benders have a distinct advantage in battle. Their element allows them to fight from a distance and use physical force to suppress any resistance.

"A Chi Blocker uses superior agility, speed and acrobatics to close the distance with a bender and disable them. Chi Blocking doesn't take bending away permanently. The person recovers within a day. Chi Blocking is already being taken up by several police forces around the world in order to combat Benders who would abuse their power.

"Furthermore, a police force could learn Chi Blocking, and use it to overpower just about anyone. Chi Blocking isn't just useful against benders. It can be used to paralyze someone, knock someone unconscious, block bending, cause pain. It all depends on where you hit them. Several police officers have come to my schools, asking that I teach them Chi Blocking."

"That makes sense. But aren't there other ways to overpower a Bender without taking away their main manner of combat?"

"Of course. My friend, Mai is highly skilled with projectiles, mainly shuriken and other small weapons that can fit in a pocket or on a belt. She's used those to fight benders. She wins most fights against benders. Maybe you could join our school.

"I would never encourage my students to initiate violence against someone. But I do teach them that they should always be able to defend themselves."

"Oh, no… I'm not much of a fighter…" Jin said with a laugh. Ty Lee shrugged. That doesn't matter. You don't need to hit hard. Just fast. Well, think about it."

"Okay… Thank you." Jin said, taking Zuko's hand and walking out of the school.

"Wait! Zuko!" Azula yelled. Zuko stopped and looked at Azula.

"C-could I maybe come with you? I want to apologize to Mai as well."

"I guess so. We're stopping by in Ba Sing Se first to see Uncle. I haven't gotten the chance to introduce him to Jin yet."

"What? I met your uncle? Remember when I first asked you out? Your uncle and you were working in the tea shop. He's a very funny man."

"Well… I haven't introduced you to him as my fiancée yet."

"I-I'm not… Your…"

"Jin…" Zuko said, kneeling down in front of her and opening a box with a green diamond ring in it. He wanted to get a ring for her that would match her eye color. It was traditional in the Fire Nation to use a fire diamond, one that was bright red. But this one seemed to suit Jin better.

"Will you marry me?" Zuko asked. Jin was struck dumb for a moment. She gasped, her mouth hanging open.

"Y-yes… Of course I'll marry you…" Jin whispered. Ty Lee sighed happily. Azula wrinkled her nose.

"Zuzu always was too sentimental for his own good." She said. Even though she said that, she was smiling. She was secretly happy that Zuko was happy.

"Let's go see my uncle. He'll be delighted to see you. Would you like to come with us still, Azula?" Zuko asked.

"Only if you promise you won't get all lovey dovey on the trip."

"Okay…" Zuko said with a laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Uncle! Uncle!" Zuko called, walking into the Jasmine Dragon to the surprise of all the customers, who clearly recognized Zuko as the Fire Lord. What was he doing in a tea shop in Ba Sing Se?

"Zuko? Hello! How are you doing? It's so good to see you again? And… Jin, am I right?" Iroh asked. Jin smiled happily.

"You have a good memory… Zuko wanted to introduce me to you."

"Uncle, this is my fiancée." Zuko said, seeming happier than Iroh had ever seen him.

"Zuko, that's great. I love the ring you gave her. It's less traditional, but it matches your eyes perfectly, Jin, and is that my niece I see trying to hide?" Iroh asked, walking forward to hug Azula tightly.

"It's so good to see you again as well, Azula… I'm so glad to see that you're doing better. Come to the back, I'll make all of you some tea… Chamomile Lychee, I think would be good for this occasion. Have you gotten to see Ty Lee's school yet, Azula?"

"Yes, Uncle…" Azula said, blushing nervously.

"Ty Lee has been more forgiving to me than I deserve. She took me in, we're dating again, and I'm worried this is going to turn out to just be a dream, and that I'm still in the psycho ward."

"Well, it's possible that all life is just a dream. There's no guarantee that anything is real. We just have to live one day at a time, and take life as it comes at us. You seem to be bothered by something else, though, Azula."

"I-I've practically lost my Firebending, Uncle. It's not gone. But after I left the psychiatric ward, I found myself living on the streets. I moved to Republic City, and I only had enough Firebending to fight off those who would hurt me. I still am amazed that I survived this long."

"Ah… The same thing happened to Zuko. He went to visit the original Firebenders, the ancient Sun Warriors. You have to promise not to tell anyone about this, but I can take you there, and you can learn from the original source of Firebending."

"But, Uncle… You killed the last dragon, didn't you?"

"Well… Most people believe that I did. But there are two dragons left, Ran and Shaw, and if you are open and truly repentant for your crimes, they will teach you the true source of Firebending. It is not something that I can show you. Only they can truly teach you what you need to know.

"Uncle, I need to ask you… Are you angry at me for what I did to you in that desert town? I could have killed you. It's fortunate that I didn't, but what if I had?"

"I am not mad. You were confused at the time. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance." Uncle said with a smile, hugging Azula again.

He had plenty of money to get by, even if he closed the shop for a little while.

"Starting tomorrow, you and I will go to the Sun Warriors, and get you your firebending back." Uncle said with a smile. He had always wanted to be closer with Azula. He loved her, but saw how unstable she was. That was partially his brother's fault, well… Mostly his brother's fault. He had raised her in an overly stressful environment where she was loved only so long as she excelled.

"Is this… Normal, Uncle? Ty Lee just managed to fix my hair. Now, it's going to have sticky stuff in it forever."

"Oh, don't worry, Azula… The Sun Warriors will come and collect us soon enough. We just need to relax, and maybe take a nap until they come to free us."

"Oh, Uncle… What is it with old men and naps?"  
"They're almost as calming as a cup of Jasmine Tea. Just relax, and before you know it, you'll be on your way to getting your bending back."

Azula sighed, scowling slightly.

"Okay. I trust you, Uncle… Wow. I never thought I'd hear myself say that."

"You have truly had a metamorphosis in your internment. I am happy for you. Tell me, Azula… Do you truly want to understand what the Sun Warriors have to teach? Are you here for enlightenment or simply to get your bending back?"

"Is there a difference between the two? I need enlightenment to get my bending back. So the two are inextricably linked."

"True… There is a correlation between the two. But there need not be a causation. You must seek enlightenment for its own sake. The benefit is wisdom and knowledge. The benefit to your bending is tertiary…"

"Uncle, you're speaking in riddles."

"Ah, the Sun Warriors! It's been a long time!"

"Good to see you again, Iroh… I would ask who she is, but her reputation precedes her. The Fire Nation princess, Azula… What could the Firebending prodigy want here?" The leader of the Sun Warriors asked.

"I… Apologize for coming here uninvited. But… Well, perhaps you could get me out of this sticky mess? Ty Lee is never going to let me hear the end of this? 'Oh, Azula! Your hair! This gunk will never come out!'" Azula mimicked in a fairly accurate impression of Ty Lee's voice.

"Get them out of there, and bring the Aardvark-Dogs! So, are you just here with your niece, Iroh?"

"Uncle, you know these people? Hm, will the wonders never cease? I thought you guys died out centuries ago, around the same time Uncle killed the last dragon…"

"Hey, I'm not that old… Okay, I'm pretty old… Hahahahahaha!" Uncle said, taking the warrior's hand and helping to pull himself out of the gunk.

"Azula used her limited firebending to burn away some of the gunk, and struggled until a warrior pulled her out as well."

"Fire Princess… Why are you here!?" The lead warrior repeated.

"My… My firebending… It isn't exactly gone, but it's weakened. I've spent a while up to now on the streets… Long story… And I could only use the barest amounts of fire to fight off attacks."

"We will take you to our masters, and they can decide whether you are worthy to learn the secret of true firebending… Your brother and the Avatar were the last people to come here. We get visitors every once in a while, but… We were surprised by their visit, and even more by yours so shortly after…"

"Really? You must measure short differently than most people. That had to have been at least three years ago."

"We don't get a lot of guests…" The chief said dryly. Azula nodded. Sounded like her stay in the sanitarium. Not getting a lot of visitors was to be expected.

"Are these stupid vermin almost done?"

"Aardvark-dogs are more closely related to…"  
"I don't fucking care what they're related to! I just want this sticky crap out of my hair!" Azula shrieked. The Sun Warrior leader drew away quickly at her vitriolic outburst.

"You will carry a piece of the Eternal Flame to the top of the mountain, and offer it as tribute to the dragons, Ran and Shaw, who, if they are pleased, will show you the true source of Firebending. They will inspect you, seeing your heart, your soul, and your ancestry. I can't say that they would be too pleased to know that you were the one who tried to destroy half the world."

"I-I can accept that." Azula said, trying to keep her fear under control. She was scared. She knew that there was every chance she could die, and she wasn't ready to die yet. She hadn't really lived yet. Her whole life had been under the crushing expectations of her father, the disappointment of her mother, the fear of her friends, and she wanted to change that. So, she had to survive this.

Azula took a deep breath, walking up the hill, which quickly became steeper and steeper, until Azula was gasping for breath, stopping every so often to get her wind. Finally, she made it to the top of the hill, and found the Sun Warriors waiting for her, along with Iroh, who smiled at her.

"Now, you will go up the stairs, and allow the Dragons Ran and Shaw to judge you. If you succeed, you live. If not, you die."

"Can I stop for a little while and catch my breath?" Azula asked.

"No!"

"I… I see…" Azula muttered, glaring at the Sun Warriors, but obeying, and starting up the steep stone steps for the top, never letting her eyes off of her flame. If she did, she was sure she would either incinerate herself, or let it die.

By the time she was halfway to the top, she was gasping for breath, the high altitude making it difficult to catch her wind. She was feeling dizzy, the world beginning to spin around her. She was sure that she would collapse, and fall all the way down. How far was it down? Half a mile? Regardless, she'd be dead. Nobody would be there to break her fall. Who would care enough? She wasn't even sure her uncle, who had taken her here, would care enough. She had tried to kill him.

Suddenly, doubt and self-loathing flooded her mind. She didn't deserve the secrets of true firebending. She wasn't good enough. Ran and Shaw would never approve her. They would almost certainly kill her. She would be separated from Ty Lee forever, and even if they did approve her, how could she be a competent firebender when there was so much fear in her heart. Once, she was fearless, the powerful, indomitable princess. Now, what was she? She barely deserved to call herself a street urchin.

Finally, she started moving again. If she couldn't have firebending, she might as well let them kill her. What point was there in living without her greatest talent? She made it to the top, and offered the flame. Something came to her mind, though. Those images of the dancing tribal members. She was too weak right now to dance. Hadn't Uncle said something about performing the dance? It didn't matter. She held the fire up, her arms quaking, aching.

Finally, she heard a loud roar, and the two dragons came out, twining around her, and then twisting up in the air, breathing fire down. Suddenly, Azula abandoned all pretense of control, and cowered, covering her head… For a minute, she felt nothing. Looking up, she saw an amazing array of colors that didn't seem like any she'd seen before.

The technicolor fire was pure, unadulterated beauty beyond anything she'd ever seen. She found tears of joy filling her eyes as the secret of firebending found its way into her mind.

"It's beautiful… Like pure energy." Azula whispered, kneeling with the newfound knowledge.

It was truly transcendent. On her way down, she felt her energy returning. She could feel her lungs filling properly. Was the thin air a test? Were they testing her dedication? Her resolve? Either way, it was a harsh test that, for the first time she had feared she wouldn't pass.

Always the perfectionist, always the genius, success came easy to her. But just now, she was sure she was about to die. It was the most terrifying moment of her life. As she stepped back amongst the Sun Warriors, she looked at them, a new respect for peace, and for people in her eyes.

"You have been tested, and you have passed. But we ask that you never reveal our secrets to outsiders."

Azula nodded, and leapt in the air, twisting and shooting the same blue flame that she had always had. She then twisted in the other direction, and shot lightning. She was able to use fire again. This was great. She looked at Uncle, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you, Uncle. I'm so sorry for all that I said and did to you." Azula muttered, blushing shamefacedly. Uncle laughed.

"Oh, Azula… You don't need to apologize. I was never angry. I was sad that you were so lost. But it warms my heart more than any fire to see you now, having found yourself, and living happily. I don't believe that anyone is beyond redemption. One just needs to find one's own path to that redemption."

"What about father?" Azula asked uncertainly. Iroh's eyes narrowed. His younger brother was a difficult case. So indoctrinated with hatred from such a young age that even Iroh wasn't sure.

"I don't know. I wish I could give you a definite answer. But your father should not worry you. You need to do what's right for yourself."

"But I want to see my father." Azula said, seeming hesitant. She had always striven so hard to please her and Zuko's father, and had always been the favorite. But now, she would have to ask Zuko. It was a strange situation.

"Zuzu… You're still in Republic City?" Azula asked, as Ty Lee let Azula into her house. Zuko was sitting there on the couch with Jin, drinking tea.

"Yes. Ty Lee invited us to stay for a little while. We can't stay long, but maybe for a few days. We wanted to wait to see how your trip with Uncle went. And _don't_ call me 'Zuzu!'"

"It went well." Azula said, creating a ball of flame in her hand, then closing his hand to put out the fire. Zuko smiled, seeming proud.

"Can you still use lightning" He asked. Azula nodded. "But not indoors. Zuz… Zuko… I want to ask a favor of you. I know I'm asking a lot, but it's important to me. I need this… For closure."

"Okay… If it's within my power, I'll do it." Zuko said, seeming taken aback by Azula's earnestness. Azula sighed.

"I need to see our father, assuming he's still alive."

"He was alive the last time I checked, and the guards haven't said anything about him dying… But Azula, why on earth would you want to see the man who turned you into… Forgive me… What you were?"

"I need to see him… For closure. I need to talk to him one last time. Ty Lee… W-would you…"

"Yes." Ty Lee said, taking Azula's hand tightly. Azula blinked a few times.

"But, I didn't say anything."

"I know what you want, though. You want me to go with you. I need to get you a proper haircut first, though. I did an alright job, but your hair just was too damaged to really fix on my own.

"I know some people in Republic City. She's always done my hair. I think she'll make space for you. Her schedule is quite packed, though, so don't jerk her around."

"I… Wouldn't dream of it." Azula said. Ty Lee smiled, and took Azula's hand, hurrying out the door.

"You and Jin can stay. Azula and I need to go, though. We'll be gone most of the afternoon, if not into the night." Ty Lee said, pulling Azula along.

"Hinata… I have a favor to ask of you…" Ty Lee said politely, walking into the hair salon. The woman looked up, smiling brightly at Ty Lee.

"Hey, sweetie! Who is this lovely young woman?" Hinata asked, smiling at Azula as well, who smiled awkwardly back.

"This is Azula… My…"

"Well, Azula… You got here _just_ in time! Well… Almost in time. No doubt you came to get something done about that hair…" Hinata said, tutting.

"You look like you had such gorgeous hair, once… Is it lack of care, or was it a particular event that damaged it?"

"I… Well… I used to meticulously care for it… But… I… Well…"

"She's been away for a while, including spending a lot of time outdoors, and hasn't really had a chance to care for it.

"This is unacceptable. For you, sweetie…" Hinata said, winking at Ty Lee. "I can make room for her. Do you mind if we get another person to do it? I'm booked for six months."

"Not at all."

"Great! Yu! Take care of this young lady!" Hinata ordered. A young man came over and pulled Azula to a seat, pushing her head back, and washing her hair before shampooing it and conditioning it.

"I promise, dear… You'll feel better in no time…"

"Now, do you know what kind of haircut you want? I need to shorten it significantly. Your hair's been damaged something awful, I tell you what. Maybe a nice bob… No… That would be wrong for you. Ooh, your face is so angular… The hairdo has to fit the facial structure. I know popular hairstyles from all three Nations."

"Um… There are four Nations."

"Yah, but the Air Nation mostly has shaved heads, and there's only one Airbender left, thank you very much. Did you want a Fire Nation hairdo? You _are_ the Fire Nation princess, right?

"Yes… I actually never thought about my hairdo. I'll just leave it to you."

"You need something beautiful to suit your face… And your eyes… Ooh…" Yu shivered. "You seem like you could cut me right open with those eyes."

"Is he always like this?" Azula asked Hinata, raising an eyebrow. Hinata sighed, laughing, and nodded.

"He's… A bit flamboyant. He means well. Is he making you uncomfortable."

"I suppose not. Is your constant string of rhetoric really necessary, though?" Azula asked, her frown deepening. Yu looked down apologetically.

"I guess not. I don't see too many women as fierce and beautiful as you, though. Let's see… I think I can make this work… I can't keep it as long as it is now. Your hair simply has too much damage. But I can work with this." He said, moving his hand and snipping off a little bit.

When he was done, he spun the chair around and faced her to the mirror.

"How's this look?" He asked. Azula looked at herself from several angles, looking critically at the hairdo. It was short. It only went to just above her shoulders. But he had done an amazing job.

"It looks perfect. How much do I owe you, Hinata?"

"Oh, that one was on the house. Ty Lee has been teaching my daughter Chi Blocking, and it's really helped her self-confidence. Besides, there's no excuse for a pretty woman like you to have such a mess on your head. Have you considered getting your nails done here?"

"I can get those done by Ty Lee… I do need to get them looked at again, though." Azula said, looking at her nails, which had become somewhat ragged from the climb up that rather mountainous trek.

"Are you sure? We have a little time left." Hinata said. Azula sighed, and held out her fingers. Yu smiled, and looked at them closely.  
"Hm… They aren't that bad. They just really need to be cleaned, filed and lacquered." He said, taking hold of her left hand, and clean each finger individually with a brush. When he was satisfied that they were clean, he did her right hand, then began to dry them off, and file them with a nail file, using an exceptionally light touch.

When he finished smoothing out her nails, he looked at the various nail polishes and lacquers.

"Did you have a preference in terms of nail polish? I can just put clear polish on. Or, we can paint them red… Did you have a different color in mind. It looks like your nails used to be red."

"Red is perfect. That's what they've always been." Azula said. Yu nodded, and began painting them, paying meticulous attention, and when he finished, he told her to sit and let them dry.

After about ten minutes of drying, Azula stood, and thanked them. She had no money to pay them, but Ty Lee seemed to have taken care of it, having tipped Yu for his help.

"Thanks, Hinata, Yu… Have a good day. We'll be out of town for a while, so one of my assistants will be teaching Chi Blocking classes."

"I understand, Ty Lee… Enjoy your vacation." Hinata said.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Are you sure that you want to see our father, Azula? Aang took away his bending, and he's been pretty angry since then." Zuko said uncertainly. He didn't know how Ozai would react to seeing Azula again. Sometimes Zuko visited his father, but he always either said spiteful things to him, or completely ignored him, so Zuko was going less and less to see him.

"I'm positive. I need to see him… If only once."

"Okay. Excuse me…"

"Firelord Zuko!" The guard said suddenly, turning around. "And… Princess Azula?" He asked.

"Hello. We've never met, have we?" Azula asked, looking away. She still wasn't sure she was ready to be back in the Fire Nation. What would Lo and Li say when they saw her? Maybe they would be just as polite as ever. But would they secretly hate her?

"No, ma'am. What can I do for you, Firelord?" The guard asked. Zuko looked at him.

"Azula wants to visit her father."

"Of course… I'll take you right to him." The guard said, bowing and turning around, leading them to the right cell. When they got there, the guard shivered slightly, and hurried off. He had been the subject of much verbal abuse from the previous Firelord, and he didn't care to have more heaped on him.

"I suppose I should consider it an honor that the Firelord, the princess, and her little whore have seen fit to grace me with their presence."

"Ex… cuse me?" Azula asked dangerously, her fists clenching at her father's sudden, and uncalled for attacks on Ty Lee.

"It's alright, Azula… He can't offend…"

"No… How dare he say that!" Azula demanded furiously, her fists beginning to steam with fire, just barely below the surface.

"What do you want? Say what you have to say and let me get back to my peaceful silence." Ozai said, turning around briefly, then turning again to face the wall. Ozai's beard had become highly unkempt, and his hair was long, scraggly, and greasy.

Once a man in his prime, even in his forties, he had lost a great deal of his muscle mass, and was beginning to look truly old.

"I wanted you to see me, now. You ruined me as a child, and as a young adult. You turned me into a paranoid, mentally unstable monster, just like you.

"But I wanted you to see me now that I've risen above that. I'm no longer that sadistic, monstrous, but terrified little girl. I know I still have a long way to go, but I hope that my friends and family will help me make it."

"I see… And… am I supposed to break down, and beg for your forgiveness? If that is what you are expecting, you'll be leaving disappointed."

"Well, it wouldn't hurt. But I wasn't expecting it. Knowing you, you probably won't even admit that you've done anything wrong. But I'm happy, now, and you can't take that away from me."

"And who is the young woman with Zuko?"

"This is Jin, my fiancée… Despite your attempts to poison us and the whole Fire Nation against the rest of the world, I'm in love with an Earth Kingdom woman."

"Figures that the family failure would drop his noble Fire Nation girlfriend, and take some Earth Kingdom whore instead."

This time, it was Zuko's turn to be angry. Suddenly, Zuko stomped his foot, fire blasting up around the footprint. Jin grabbed Zuko's arm, though.

"It's alright, Zuko! Maybe someday, he can be happy for you, and be proud of you. Until then, I can love and be proud enough of you for both of us. I would say it's a pleasure to meet Zuko's father, but… Honestly, I get the feeling that I would like his mother better… Given what he's said about her."

"Ursa always was annoyingly sympathetic toward Zuko. She coddled him, and made him the weakling that he is today." Ozai snarled. Finally, Jin seemed to be getting angry.

"No! If anyone made him weak, it was you! _You_ were the family's weakest link! You challenged your own son to an Agni Kai and scarred him for life! When I met Zuko for the first time in Ba Sing Se, he was a good and kind person, but confused and awkward!

"I wanted to be with him at the time, but he turned me down… It wasn't until he came back after the war that he seemed to have found himself… And he did that all without you! How dare you belittle him, when he's stronger than you'll ever be!? Come on, Zuko… Azula… Have you gotten what you needed out of him?"

"Not yet. Father. I-I wanted to tell you that all I ever wanted was for you to love me… But you never did. I was only good as long as I continued to excel. And you turned me into something terribly ugly and monstrous…

"I betrayed the best friends I ever had… I hurt the woman who loved me most in the entire world. I tried to kill the uncle that only ever tried to help me… I almost killed my brother… I wonder if that would have made you proud enough to say that you love me… Even if it was a lie?" Azula muttered, seeming hesitant, even scared to show such weakness.

"You're pathetic, Azula… I was raised the same way by my father… Brilliant as you were, you clearly didn't deserve my praise." Ozai said, shocking Azula into silence. The princess felt her hand loosen around the glass bottle she was holding, dropping it on the hard stone floor. She didn't hear it shatter, though. She only nodded, and gasped out a weak "alright. I-I'm ready to go, F-Firelord Zuko…" forgetting even to mock him by calling him Zuzu.

"Okay… Goodbye, Dad." Zuko said, looking down at his father disdainfully, taking the rest of the group outside. Ty Lee looked at Azula, who was pale as a sheet, shaking violently. She looked like she was about to cry, but she wasn't letting out a sound.

"Azula… Are you alright?" Ty Lee asked, trying to hug her lover. Suddenly, though, Azula hissed furiously at Ty Lee, shooting a fireball at her.

Fortunately, her belligerent hiss caused Ty Lee to recoil so Ty Lee wasn't hit directly by the fireball. But the heat radiating off of the fireball was incredible. As it hit the sand, the former earth turned to glass. Zuko gasped. Having fire hot enough to turn sand into glass was just incredible. Even Azulon, the firelord before their father wasn't that powerful. Was this a result of Azula visiting the Sun Warriors to find the true source of Firebending?

Zuko had found, when he returned from the Sun Warrior culture, that his firebending prowess was also much improved, although part of his victory against Azula could be attributed to the fact that she had collapsed mentally and emotionally, and had lost all vestiges of her sanity. It seemed as though her time in the psychiatric home had helped her with that, and now, she was as close to emotionally stable as Zuko had ever seen her. Ty Lee knelt down next to Azula, hugging her tightly and kissing her gently.

"It's alright, Azula…" Ty Lee whispered, trying to soothe Azula's turbid aura.

"I'm proud of you. You faced the man you feared most in the entire world. His cruel words can't take that away from you."

"I'm _not_ scared of my father! Get the fuck away from me!"

"No? My mistake, then. Sorry." Ty Lee muttered, pulling away, with tears filling her eyes.

"I… No! Please, don't leave me, Ty Lee!" Azula pleaded, pulling her closer, but giving her enough room to pull away if she wanted to. Ty Lee could see Azula's aura, though. If she did pull away, she knew something would be gone in Azula, that Azula would never trust her again.

She knew that their relationship wasn't exactly "conventionally healthy" at the moment. But she hoped that she wasn't walking right into the same trap she did the first time, and that Azula's health would continue to improve as it had done in her time in the hospital.

"I won't leave you, Azula… I love you."

"I love you, too, Ty Lee…" Azula sobbed, leaning into Ty Lee desperately. Zuko took Jin's hand loosely, walking away from the two girls with her, giving them some time alone.

"Zuko… Is… Azula going to be alright? She seems so…"

"Mentally unstable?"

"I was going to say upset."

"Well, you saw how our father treats us when he senses weakness in us. Azula's speech to him was, to him, at least the ultimate display of weakness. She openly admitted that she could be frightened and that she depended on his approval. Those are two things that are both forbidden and required in our family.

"I know, it seems odd to hear something like that. But our father was a man of contradictions. He both required complete loyalty and obedience and independence. Azula managed to walk that razor thin line for a long time before she broke. I'm not sure exactly what happened. I only have her word for it, and when she told me, she was not in her right mind."

"Well, tell me what she told you, then."

"Okay. I need to go back a bit before our final confrontation. Do you remember the Day of Black Sun? The solar eclipse?"

"Yes! My mother and I made a weird contraption to watch it!"

"Right… Well, the Avatar and his friends chose that day to attack the Fire Nation to try to defeat my father. See, during a solar eclipse, Firebenders lose their bending, since Firebending is powered by the sun. It was a brilliant plan, I suspect made by Sokka. But because of well-placed sources, my father knew of the eclipse and the Avatar's plan, and hid away.

"On that same day, I betrayed my father, and went to teach Aang Firebending. However, most of the troops organized were captured and thrown in Fire Nation prisons." Zuko said. Jin gasped.

"Right, well, eventually, we found out where Katara's and Sokka's father was being held. It was in a top security Fire Nation prison for the worst traitors to the Fire Nation. It makes sense, really. So Sokka and I infiltrated the prison, and broke his father and Sokka's girlfriend out of the prison.

"But Azula and her friends, Mai and Ty Lee found out and came to the prison. Azula, I think was already beginning to lose touch with reality, and when Mai, who was my ex-girlfriend…"

"That girl with the really sharp eyes, you mean? She was your girlfriend? I mean, go ahead." Jin said, blushing at having spoken about Mai like that.

"Right… Mai betrayed Azula and attacked her to give me and Sokka and the prisoners time to escape.

"Azula was going to attack Mai when Ty Lee attacked Azula… I'm not sure exactly what was going on between Azula and Ty Lee, but I do know that Azula had been hurting Ty Lee for a long time… Maybe in Azula's mind, her torment of Ty Lee was a test of her loyalty? I'm not sure. But Ty Lee's friendship also kept Azula sane… Well… At least kept her outside the walls of a crazy house. So Ty Lee's betrayal sent Azula over the edge.

"So when I went to the Fire Nation again with Katara to face my father on the day of Sozin's Comet, we found that Azula was the Firelord. But her already tenuous grip on reality had snapped. She may have been less of a threat in terms of combat, but she was that much more dangerous. Like a cornered animal. She and I had an Agni Kai, and she tried to attack Katara. Needless to say, I almost died. But we defeated Azula, and she ended up in a psych ward.

"But I've skipped ahead. I think the last blow to her crumbling sanity was when our father said that he was going to fulfil alone the plan that she suggested and he initially promised they could carry out together. They were going to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground. You, your family, Ba Sing Se, everything would have been gone. But he told her to stay in the Fire Nation, and made her the Fire Lord. That was what sent her over the edge.

"Mad with power and driven by rage that our father refused to have her at his side when he undertook the plans to defeat the Earth Kingdom, she had truly lost her mind. So, you see why, even now, she's not really the picture of mental stability. And even now, her father rejects her."

"That's… Terrible… How could anyone be so horribly cruel?" Jin whispered, tears flooding her jade green eyes. Zuko hugged her tightly.

"I almost became like that, too. For the longest time, I was obsessed with capturing the Avatar. I was determined to regain my honor, which I believed I had lost for speaking out of turn at the war meeting and refusing to fight my father in the Agni Kai. I had to abandon my nation of my own free will though, to realize that I never lost my honor.

"No… I refuse to believe that you could ever be like that. You're just as kind as you've ever been."

"Have I told you the story of my hunt for the Avatar?"

"Yes… What is that over there, Zuko?" Jin asked. Zuko looked where she was pointing.

"Mm… I don't see it…" Zuko said, falling for the joke, once again.

"Oh, come on, Zuko! Your honor isn't _so_ small that you can't even see it, is it?" Jin laughed. Zuko rolled his eyes. Jin still occasionally made jokes about Zuko's honor, much to the uproarious laughter of Aang and the rest of his friends.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Azula… You've mostly been wearing my clothes for the past week or two. It's not a problem, but we need to get you clothes that were designed for you." Ty Lee said cheerfully. Azula looked away uncertainly, blushing slightly.

"Um… I… Don't have any money… Zuko has all the family's money. And… I couldn't make you spend your money on clothes for me… You've already done more for me than I deserve." She muttered, seeming slightly resentful at how helpless she was.

"Make me? I can write Zuko to reimburse me later if that would make you feel better… But you really do need your own clothes. I'm a bit shorter than you, and…"

"Yeah, yeah… Your boobs are bigger than mine… I get it…" Azula said, scowling.

"Well, regardless, we need to get you some clothes…" Ty Lee said, laughing nervously, not sure how to respond to such a comment.

"Preferably ones that suit you. Clothes off the shelf won't work… We can get them custom made." Ty Lee said, actually excited to be clothes shopping with Azula. I knew your old sizes, but you're so much thinner now. We'll need to have them made with a bit of room to grow, now that you're not starving on a daily basis." Ty Lee said, taking Azula's hand and leading her through the streets of Republic City.

Finally, they made it to a very nice looking store, where Ty Lee pulled Azula, who seemed to still be hesitant into it. Immediately, they were greeted by the clerk.

"Hello, Ty Lee… And who is this lovely young woman?"

"This is Azula… My girlfriend… We're shopping for her today. She just got out from a hospital stay, and well… You know that hospital food… She lost a lot of weight.

"She needs clothes that fit her."

"Ah, of course, of course. Let's take some measurements… We can leave a little space for growth… What were your measurements before you lost so much weight?"

"Um… Ty Lee… I… Don't remember…" Azula whispered urgently. Ty Lee laughed.

"Well… Azula has gotten a little bit taller since she went into the hospital… Maybe an inch at the most…" Ty Lee said, suggesting healthy measurements for the tailor to work with, including her new height. The tailor nodded, writing down the measurements and said that if there was a mistake, that she could easily hem the clothes. Ty Lee thanked her and took Azula to the next store. She needed her own shoes.

Azula had been wearing her old shoes and they still worked, but they were falling apart. They were torn at the seams and the soles were peeling off or were simply completely smoothed down in places.

"Boy… I uh… Haven't gone shopping in at least four years. Republic City really popped up out of nowhere, didn't it?"

"Well… Most of it is stone, so earthbenders were able to build the majority of it. The parts made of wood went up pretty quickly as well. It was a planned city, so it's elegantly designed and all went up at once." Ty Lee said, wrapping her arm around Azula's waist, kissing her reassuringly and taking her into the shoe store, walking right past the front desk.

"Ty Lee! It's been a while." The owner said. Ty Lee smiled back at her.

"It sure has, Leng… How are your daughter's chi blocking lessons going?"

"Oh… We had to take her out… She was going wild with them, using her abilities on people in the city… She almost got arrested once… It was lucky we were able to smooth things over with the families of the victims… The police chief wasn't happy, but he accepted it."

"I'm sorry that my skills were used for such purposes…" Ty Lee said quietly, feeling bad that anyone would abuse their skills like that, especially when it was Ty Lee who taught them the skills.

"Well… We've punished her suitably and she promised not to use them again unless her safety was in danger. Who is this with you?" Leng asked. Ty Lee's brown eyes lit up.

"Oh! This is Azula… My girlfriend." She said, seeming so happy that Azula's tiredness began to evaporate. Ty Lee's energetic aura was having a reviving effect on her.

"She's beautiful… Azula… The Fire Nation princess?"

"Yes… I'm sure you've never heard anything good about me." Azula said, her tiredness returning all at once. Leng laughed.

"Well… I've also never met you… It's not fair to judge someone before you know them… And Ty Lee has good sense… She wouldn't be letting you into her life if she didn't trust you."

"Oh, thank you… I um… Need shoes."

"You certainly do." Leng gasped, looking down at the shredded shoes on Azula's feet. "Those shoes are in shreds. There's no excuse for you to be wearing such things on your feet.

"Did you have an idea of what kind of shoes you wanted?"

"I guess whatever is cheapest…" Azula muttered. Ty Lee was already spending so much time and money on her. It didn't seem right to ask her to spend more than she needed on something that nobody would even be looking at."

"Azula…" Ty Lee said, her eyes going wide. "I promise you, I can afford all of this. My family was wealthy to begin with and with my Chi Blocking schools, I can assure you I'm not short on money. Buy whatever shoes you like… Try on a few pairs… Find something that's comfortable. Please? For me…?" Ty Lee said. Azula sighed. She couldn't refuse Ty Lee when she was making that face, when she was asking like that.

"Thank you, Ty Lee…" Azula said, kissing Ty Lee gently. Ty Lee sighed happily. There was something so satisfying about kissing Azula like this. She had never expected a relationship with Azula to be so fulfilling. When it first started, her relationship hurt, both physically and emotionally. But now, Azula was so gentle, so loving. Ty Lee found that she was crying.

"Ty Lee? What's wrong?" Azula asked. Ty Lee took a deep breath.

"Oh, nothing… I'll explain later… I promise…" She said. Azula nodded and continued trying on different shoes, occasionally standing up and walking around. After about an hour, and at least 100 pairs of shoes later, she showed the owner a pair of shoes.

"These are perfect." The Fire Nation princess said proudly.

Leng nodded and wrote a few numbers down.

"Alright… 100 Yuans… Thank you. Have a great day." Leng said as Ty Lee and Azula left. As the two women left the shop, Azula collapsed on a bench. Ty Lee hurried over to her, sitting down next to her and holding her in her arms.

"Azula… Are you alright?" Ty Lee asked. Azula sighed, shaking her head.

"I'm not ready to be out of the crazy house. I'm still completely insane. I just can't handle the world yet."

"Azula, you weren't insane. You were sick. Just because you were ready to leave doesn't mean that you can handle everything yourself. Even I can't handle everything myself. That's why I have friends and family who care about me and help me when I need it. I've got my family, I've got Mai and Zuko, the Avatar and his friends. And you have me. I'm not going to let you fall. Please just trust me." Ty Lee said.

Azula nodded, leaning into Ty Lee, wanting to be closer to the woman that she loved, the woman that she knew she needed. Suddenly, Azula started.

"Hey… You promised me earlier that you would explain why you were crying?" Azula said. Ty Lee nodded. She had forgotten as well up until just that moment.

She was having fun watching Azula trying on shoes, seeming almost like her old, confident self… But without the anger and cruelty that dominated most of their interactions.

"Right… I was crying because I was happy. Azula, I've always been attracted to you, but I never expected to have a fulfilling relationship with you. I loved you, but…"

"I know… I was never a very good girlfriend, was I? I never expected you to take me back… I… Thank you… For giving me a second chance. I'm not sure I ever even deserved a first." Azula said, seeming terribly insecure. Ty Lee smiled, kissing Azula tenderly on the lips.

"Of course. Your aura was completely different when I saw you again for the first time. You were changed, but lost and scared… I knew you needed me." Ty Lee said. Azula's eyes widened.

"So you took me back because you felt sorry for me!" The Fire Princess demanded furiously, heat radiating from her body. Ty Lee shook her head.

"Of course not. I could understand your pain. I empathized with you, and I wanted to help. I loved you, and I still love you now, Azula. People who love each other help each other."

"I… That's not what I learned."

"You mean from the man who only cared about you so long as you excelled? The man who banished his own son for something as small as speaking out of turn? The man who antagonized you until you were in tears?" Ty Lee asked, her mood souring, thinking of Ozai, who had turned Azula into such a broken young woman.

"Ty Lee… Are these feelings ever going to go away? I've never felt so insecure, so scared. It wasn't until I realized what a monster I was that I understood how much I had hurt those who meant the most to me. You've forgiven me so easily… But I don't understand why. Aren't you afraid I'll start hurting you again?" Azula asked. Ty Lee laughed.

"Of course I'm not. I told you. Your aura gives you away. You wouldn't hurt me. I forgave you because being angry doesn't help me. It doesn't help you. How can you prove yourself if nobody gives you a chance? I don't know what tomorrow will bring. But today, I'm happy with you. I'm glad that you came back. And well, I've wondered if I did the right thing ever since I first betrayed you." Ty Lee said, seeming somber suddenly.

"Ahaha… You definitely did. It was the best thing for me. I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to realize what a good friend you were. I wish it didn't take me losing everything and everyone who mattered to me to realize just how much I had hurt the people around me." Azula said. Ty Lee checked her watch. They had been out for almost the whole afternoon. The young Chi Blocker stood and brought Azula back to the clothing store.

As the two walked in, the owner walked over to them.

"We're just about to close for the evening, but our seamstresses have made up two sets of clothing for Miss Azula. Perhaps you would like to try them on to make sure they're the right size?" The manager asked politely. Azula nodded, taking the clothes and heading into the changing room, coming out a few minutes later, seeming satisfied with them.

"They're perfect. I'm still thinner than I should be. I'll grow into these." She said.

Ty Lee thanked the woman and paid her for the clothes and the two headed out, going back to Ty Lee's home for the night.


End file.
